Nov. 20, 2007 --If you have relatives planning a stay at a
metro Atlanta hotel soon, tell them to hold onto their towels. They're
going to need them.

The city's hospitality community is addressing the state's
ongoing drought with a number of water-reduction measures, including
asking hotel guests to reuse towels instead of asking for new ones.
Other measures include serving water in restaurants only upon request
and turning off decorative fountains.

Local industry officials say such moves could save the region
millions of gallons of water. The metro area has about 92,000 hotel
rooms, along with hundreds of restaurants and several convention
facilities.

"Did you know that it takes eight glasses of water to clean
just one glass?" said Ron Wolf, executive director of the Georgia
Restaurant Association. "Water on request only will have a huge
impact."

Hospitality leaders are sensitive to outside perceptions of
the drought and how it affects the region's attractiveness. Atlanta's
$11 billion hospitality industry, as in most cities, hinges on selling
the area as an exciting place where visitors face little stress.

National news coverage of Georgia's worsening water woes has
led some meeting planners to quietly ask whether Atlanta can serve
their organization's needs.

"We have had several customers inquire about the situation,
and we are working with them closely," said Mark Vaughan, executive
vice president, chief sales and marketing officer for the Atlanta
Convention & Visitors Bureau.

No conventions have canceled because of the crisis, he and
others in the community said.

Industry leaders say conservation measures are voluntary, both
for businesses and visitors and patrons. Residents who want their
sheets changed daily, for instance, will get their wish. And there will
be examples of hotels and restaurants that may have different ideas on
how to save water.

How many hotels and restaurants were participating is unknown,
industry leaders said.

Customer reaction has been mixed, they said.

"Some guests are open to it, some are not," said Erica Qualls,
general manager of the Marriott Marquis, the city's largest hotel. She
said she is getting about 50 percent participation.

"What's amazing is people have a huge capacity to take care of
the community," she said.

Other water-saving measures include asking hotel guests to
turn off the water in the bathroom when brushing their teeth or
shaving, working with conventioneers who agree to reduce the amount of
water set out on the dais during meetings, and even offering discounts
on bottled water for patrons of Buckhead Life Group restaurants.

Attractions also have gotten into the act. The Georgia
Aquarium has drained its nonexhibit areas, and the World of Coca-Cola
has removed the water from its fountains and stopped all water-pressure
cleaning.

The restaurant association has on its Web site a table card
for restaurants to educate diners about the changes, while the Georgia
Hotel & Lodging Association is putting the finishing touches on an
advisory letter it will send to hotels across the state.

At the Georgian Terrace, engineers are installing aerators in
bathrooms to reduce water usage in showers and in bathroom sinks, said
Phil Anderson, the hotel's general manager.

He said the challenge is to convince guests that the steps
being taken will have little effect on their stay.

"You can save a ton of water and still have a clean hotel, and
guests will not know the difference," he said.

Katy Pando, a spokeswoman for the Georgia World Congress
Center, agreed.

"We have had a lot of shows that have wanted to help us
conserve water," she said.

The industry's latest water-saving steps are in addition to
changes in water consumption they have made over the years in an effort
to reduce operating costs. While most residential homes are just
beginning to use low-flow commodes or aerators on shower heads, some
hotels and restaurants switched to the cost-saving devices years ago.

The GWCC, for instance, in 2004 retrofitted 2,300 urinals and
toilets to stem the flow of water, Pando said.

The state-run facility, which is trying to further reduce its
water usage by 10 percent, also reduced the flow of water in sinks.

Hotels operators expect the new changes also will help their
bottom lines.

"This program will save hundreds of thousands of gallons of
water, save energy, save tons of detergent, reduce wear and tear on
laundry equipment, and save wear and tear in our linens," said Stephen
Boggs, a spokesman for InterContinental Hotels Group, owner of the
Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites
brands.

"This best practice will save up to 5 percent on utilities
alone by using linen cards."